


Skin new, hands true (my hands all over you)

by grracelesss (ctrlyourself)



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV), The Vampire Diaries - L. J. Smith
Genre: F/M, First Time, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-02 08:05:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4052623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ctrlyourself/pseuds/grracelesss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Over the years, the labels on their relationship had shifted a hundred times, from acquaintances, to friends, to ‘it’s complicated’ – and all the things in between. If they hadn’t before, though – and lord knows how to measure it at this point – it’s in this moment that they’ve officially crossed the line into  <i>lovers</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Skin new, hands true (my hands all over you)

Three months. That’s how long it takes.

Three months since they said goodbye to Elena. Three months since Stefan promised to wait. Three months of not saying, and not doing, and shy glances and hand brushes and tension.

Three whole months: that’s how much time has passed when she finds him standing at her mother’s kitchen stove, stirring some garlic-y concoction that smells amazing all the way from the doorway. And that’s how long it takes for that final piece to click into place, and for Caroline to think – _Oh_.

She watches him from the kitchen doorway, not sure why he’s here or how.

He hasn’t heard her come in, and is bobbing his head with embarrassing enthusiasm to the Bon Jovi song that blares from the radio. He’s wearing one of her favorite flannels, and she wonders if he picked out the outfit with her in mind. She leans against the doorframe and crosses her arms, enjoying the moment. 

She’d come home fully intending to head to his place and tell him exactly what she wanted, but he’s met her halfway somehow, and the scene is so domestic, Stefan so relaxed, that Caroline wonders if he has somehow already gotten the memo.

She watches as he brings the spoon to his lips, seeming to savor the taste of his own creation. This time, Caroline fails to stifle a giggle.

He turns in surprise, a familiar stiffness overtaking his body in acknowledgement of her presence. It’s like he’s constantly reminding himself not to touch her, not to kiss her, to hold himself back. Because he’s _waiting_. 

It looks like she’ll have to update him after all.

To be fair, Caroline knows she’s the one to blame for his extreme restraint. Things had been tense for weeks, if she’s being honest. She’d had a moment of weakness, a screw-up that had thrown their delicate situation way off balance, and Stefan had been holding himself at arm’s length ever since.

Someone (okay, it was Caroline) had come up with the brilliant idea to throw an impromptu half-birthday celebration. It wasn’t just for her birthday, she’d insisted, but for Stefan’s, too. Because, as she incessantly reminded him, he’d spent _both_ their birthdays playing auto-mechanic in Savannah, where no one knew his last name, let alone the day he was born. It’s hard to resist such a guilt trip when the images flit through his mind: the underside of Damon’s Camaro, the lips of a girl he barely knew, Caroline’s name on his caller ID.

Initially, Caroline had been sure that copious amounts of alcohol would be the best way to bridge the unacknowledged awkwardness between them, but honestly, forcing him to take a shot for every year of his _actual_ age may have been taking it too far. The point is, they’d ended up hammered enough that when Stefan confessed, “I haven’t been this drunk since Lexi was alive,” it was somehow hysterical instead of being unbearably sad.

Eventually, Caroline had deposited Stefan in his bedroom, immediately sneaking back downstairs to bring up a slew of blood bags to ward off the hangover. Until that instant, the night had gone exactly as planned. But when he’d smiled up at her, blood bag in hand, a smear of blood on the corner of his lips had stopped Caroline in her tracks.

For a moment, all she could see was the ripper.

Oblivious, Stefan had wiped the blood from his lips with two fingers, licking them clean while Caroline simply stared, transfixed. Drunker than her by far, Stefan misunderstood her gaze, reaching to brush a strand of hair from her face. And Caroline had shoved him away.

Even after snapping back to reality, Caroline couldn’t quite find the words to explain her overreaction. Stefan held himself back from her like a frightened animal, apologies spilling from his mouth and a wild fear in his eyes that he’d ruined something fragile, destroyed the delicate trust he’d been building with aching care those past months. And though a relative normalcy had returned to their relationship in the weeks that followed, he maintained the distance between them with absolute caution.

She’s reminded of it now, as his whole body stiffens in reaction to her. “Caroline,” he exclaims, quickly switching off the music. She gets the impression he’s embarrassed for having made himself so at home. His awkwardness strikes her as funny, since he used to live here and all.

She holds back a smile, for once finding amusement in his discomfort.

“Bonnie told me your callback was today,” he says. “She let me in.” His tone is cautious, gauging her reaction. Caroline almost rolls her eyes. Bonnie had not exactly been subtle the past few weeks when she told Caroline she was an idiot for waiting so long. “I wanted to surprise you,” Stefan continues. “With dinner.” Caroline finds that the longer she looks at him in silent bemusement, the more he starts to babble. “I figured we could celebrate if it went well… or commiserate if it didn’t?”

She raises her eyebrows playfully, and he finally realizes that she’s teasing him. He visibly relaxes. “Besides,” he says, turning back to the stove. “I know how much you hate to cook. Even if you always deny it.”

For once she doesn’t bother protesting, pushing off the wall in his direction. He’s right, of course. 

“You cook to Bon Jovi?” she asks, skeptical. She approaches him slowly, crossing the expanse of her kitchen floor like it’s some colossal divide.

He laughs, ignoring the question. “It’s almost ready,” he promises.

She is standing just behind him now, and she doesn’t quite know what to do about it. She feels like a massive weight has lifted, a huge decision finally made. But she has no idea how to go about communicating that fact to Stefan.

All she knows is that she wants to touch him. Wants to close all the gaps between them, both literal and metaphorical, once and for all. She figures the physical one is a good place to start.

“Stefan?” Caroline asks quietly. She’s suddenly nervous, her heart starting to hammer in her chest. Stefan simply stirs the sauce, raising the wooden spoon for a taste. Caroline is generally one to continue unprompted.

Instead, Caroline reaches for his shoulder, gently turning him to face her. He turns in surprise, the wooden spoon barely making it’s exit from between his lips, and a smear of red sauce stands out on the corner of his lips.

It’s the same image as from their half-birthday, and to Caroline it seems not only ironic, but right. This time, all Caroline sees is Stefan, Stefan, Stefan.

She reaches for the corner of his lips, and slowly wipes the sauce away with her thumb. Stefan is absolutely tense, watching her warily. She brings her thumb to her lips and gently sucks the sauce off of it, letting her hands fall to her side.

Stefan looks at her like maybe she’s gone crazy, and his reaction is entirely reasonable given how skittish she’s been lately. Stefan lick his lips hurriedly to catch the last bit of sauce she left behind. He doesn’t mean the gesture to be sexual, but she presses her lips together, shocked by how much it immediately turns her on.

She finally opens her mouth to speak, choosing her words carefully.

“I don’t want to wait anymore.”

She’s not sure what sort of reaction she’s expecting from him, but it’s not what she gets. Stefan laughs, turning back to the stove.

“I know waiting isn’t exactly your strong suit, Caroline, but it’s only gonna be a few more minutes.”

He’s smiling slightly, but still distracted, his focus on the simmering pan in front of him. She feels a rush of fondness at his obliviousness, alongside a certain amount of exasperation. 

When she finally speaks again, her tone is patient but insistent. A demand for his attention. “ _Stefan_.” She has the urge to stomp her foot.

Even from behind, his moment of realization is obvious in the way his head snaps up, his entire posture changing. The rest of the world goes quiet, and her words echo in his head. _I don’t want to wait anymore._

He turns slightly to glance at her, eyebrows raised. Wooden spoon still poised in his hand. He gauges her expression - hopeful, questioning.

Yet without a response, he turns back to the stove.

Bewildered, Caroline takes an involuntary step away from him. For a moment, all the old insecurities threaten to come crashing back.

The metallic clang echoes in her ears a beat later than it should, and it won’t register until much later that Stefan has removed the saucepan from the stove rather haphazardly and flicked off the oven in two swift movements. She registers his third movement, though, because she swears it happens in slow motion. It’s the one where he turns, reaching for her waist with both hands. It’s the one where she suddenly finds her body pulled close against his. It’s not until his fourth movement, though, that he leans down, his lips colliding with hers so earnestly that doesn’t have a chance to catch her breath. By the time his hand has found a home on the back of her neck, she’s lost track of his movements completely.

She struggles to catch up, rising up on her toes as her hands fly to his chest. She kisses him back, matching his urgency. Stefan wraps an arm firmly around her, holding her against him with a palm pressed between her shoulder blades, the other hand rising to caress her cheek.

Almost as quickly, his lips separate from hers. Her eyes flutter open as he presses his forehead to hers so he can look her in the eye.

The moment is utterly sweet, but she has no patience for it today. She’s been resisting this for far too long - he, of all people, should understand - and she wants to feel his lips on hers again. She has his flannel by the lapels and she pulls him back in, hard. Her lips are parted this time when they meet his, and it’s obvious from the rush of air through his nose that he isn’t expecting it. Still, he responds immediately by deepening the kiss. 

She’s not sure when his tongue ended up in her mouth, but it’s exactly what she wants. His hands are all over her now. Running up and down her waist, grasping at the small of her back. Tangling in her hair. He is pressing against her with such force that she takes two involuntary steps back. One hand stretches out behind her to latch onto anything available, until she finally bumps up against the kitchen island. Her wayward hand buries itself in Stefan’s hair.

Without warning, Stefan removes his hands from her back and grips her hips instead, lifting her off her feet so their lips tear apart. He drops her into a sitting position on the countertop, her feet dangling off the edge. She sucks in a breath. Immediately, his lips reconnect with hers, both hands on the sides of her face. Needily, she kisses him back. Her arms wrap around his torso as his hands travel the expanse of her back.

Caroline has never felt so impatient. She wants to touch more of him, taste more, be a part of every piece of him. Her hands dip daringly down under his jeans, skidding over his ass through his underwear. Honestly, she doesn’t think he gets enough credit for this part of his body. It’s round and perfectly firm, and when she feels him clench beneath her touch, it’s enough to send shivers down her spine.

He detaches himself from her lips and breathes heavily into her ear, clutching the countertop on either side of her. She kisses the nearest space available to her, the place between his ear and his pulse point, and she can practically hear his brow furrowing in concentration. His panting breaths are unfamiliar territory for Caroline, and she lets up, removing her hands from his jeans and stroking his back instead. For a moment, she is genuinely impressed with herself for managing to work him into such a state.

He brings a hand up to cradle her back, his lips grazing against her ear. “I want you so much,” he breathes.

The words send a jolt of heat straight to Caroline’s groin. He says it like a confession, like he’s worried what she’ll think. But it’s also a question, she realizes. He pulls back, still regaining his breath, and looks her straight in the eye. _How far do you want to take this?_

She remembers no-humanity Stefan, so calm and collected. His smug certainty driving them rapidly toward a mutual destination. This Stefan, her Stefan, and his utter lack of composure could not be farther from the picture she has had in her mind. All her dread about the ripper suddenly seems utterly ridiculous, and she just _wants_ him: fully, completely, without reservation.

So she kisses him again, more gently this time. She wraps her legs tightly around his waist, letting her body answer his question. His breath hitches when her groin connects with his, his hand catching the back of her head.

With one hand under her ass, he hoists her off the countertop, never separating their lips. She expects him to use his vamp speed to take them upstairs, but he slows it down instead. He stops to press her into walls and leave kisses wherever he can: her cheek, her neck, her forehead. The process is so unbearably human that by the time they reach her bedroom, she is panting and clawing at his back.

When he lays her down on the bed, she immediately rises back up again, grasping for the hem of his shirt. He reaches for the neckline at the same time, pulling it off and letting it drop to the ground. Before he can reach for her again, she stays him with both hands upon his chest. He stills, obedient, his hands dropping to his sides.

True, it’s nothing she’s never seen before. Nothing she hasn’t already admired through a tight-fitting t-shirt. Still, she can’t help but marvel at his bare skin in front of her. Hers to touch. Hers to kiss. She moves her fingers delicately across his chest, just trying to get the feeling of him. He watches her, patient. His skin is smooth, his chest firmer than she expects. Finally, she reaches for his biceps so she can run her hands over them too. When her hands search to find hold on the sides of his ribcage, she leans forward, pressing a soft kiss just above his nipple.

Stefan’s eyes fall closed as she places two, three more kisses across his chest.

Then he’s leaning down to claim her lips again, interrupting her exploration. She keeps her hands pressed against his chest and lets him do some exploring of his own. He runs his hands first up and down the sides of her waist, then up past her ribcage, his thumbs graze the sides of her breasts through the fabric of her clothing. His fingers trail down the length of her body until they reach her thighs, catching the hem of her dress. He tugs on it lightly, asking permission. She separates from him, breathing heavily, and raises her arms above her head. He drags the dress up and over her body, dropping it to the floor beside his shirt. And then she’s in his arms again, his lips pressing kisses into her neck as his hands run across the bare expanse of her back, skidding over the clasp of her bra. She holds onto his biceps when he pauses to unhook it carefully. He lets the material fall from her back before he reaches for the straps, drawing them carefully down her arms and off of her as he slowly pulls away from their kiss to drop the material in the pile on the floor.

She looks up at him, still catching her breath. She’s now completely nude save her underwear.

His eyes meet hers before trailing down to her breasts. It’s funny, because it’s not as though they’ve never seen each other naked. But she still feels shy under his gaze. He kneels in front of her, reaching for the bare skin of her hips. His fingers trail upward starting at the curve of her waist, only slowing down when he arrives at her breasts. She watches as he cups them in his palms. Lightly, he runs his thumbs across her nipples, and Caroline shivers. She closes her eyes and lets herself feel it, a tingling heat that blooms through her whole body as he does it again: twice, three times, four.

He leans forward to press a tender kiss to the space between her breasts. She sighs, wrapping her arms around his neck, hands tangling in his hair. He hums contentedly against her sternum, and the vibration sends another wave of warmth through her.

And then he is rising to his feet again, one arm wrapping around her back. He pulls her up the bed, finally climbing over her and kissing her down into the mattress. Caroline runs her hands across his back, shoulders, chest – whatever she can reach.

It is disappointingly soon that Stefan lifts off of her. His hands grip her waist so he can scoot her farther up the bed, and he settles himself between her legs. She starts to rise up on her elbows, but he presses a hand flat against her stomach, conveying what he wants with his eyes until she relaxes against the mattress again. She watches him carefully, letting out a long breath as he takes control.

The first thing he does is replace his hand on her stomach with his lips. Involuntarily, her knees rise up on either side of him. His hands adjust quickly to the change, running up and down the undersides of her thighs. At the same time, he kisses a line from her navel to the top of her underwear, stopping there to hum into the skin above the fabric.

Caroline’s eyes flutter closed and then open again. His lips move to the inside of her thigh, one arm wrapping around her leg as the other hand moves to cover her center through her underwear. He moves his open hand lightly across the fabric there, a slow dose of friction, and then back down again. Caroline grasps at the pillow behind her head, letting out a quiet whine that immediately sends blood rushing to her cheeks and also to Stefan’s groin. His nostrils flare against her as he registers the dampness of her underwear. 

These tiny reactions are not enough, and Stefan presses his hand more firmly into Caroline, rubbing just a little harder against her while his kisses creep slowly up her thigh and dangerously close to her center. Her chest rises with heavy breaths as Stefan pulls back, hooking his fingers in the elastic hem of her underwear. He tugs at them, and she raises her hips, allowing him to pull the fabric all the way down and off her legs, finally out of his way.

The rush of cold air is disconcerting, and for a moment Caroline can literally feel how wet she is - embarrassingly so. But Stefan seems to feel differently, reaching toward her with a look of utter desire in his eyes that quite literally sends chills down Caroline’s spine. His palm connects with her center and he resumes the same motion as before - up, down - complete concentration overtaking his features. Caroline lets her eyes fall closed, biting her lip as heat rises through her body. She isn’t expecting it when his other arm hooks around the underside of her leg, and he pulls his hand away, replacing it immediately with his mouth, a kiss placed right to the center of her. Stefan’s thumb finds her clit, and Caroline sucks in a breath as he begins to trace slow circles there. He places wet, open-mouthed kisses across her lips and her center, sucking as he goes. He lets his tongue explore her, slowly allowing each of his actions to increase in intensity until his nose is practically buried inside her. Her muscles clench in desperation, and for a fleeting instant, she thinks this is the first time she’s ever deemed the term “eating out” appropriate, because he is quite literally feasting on her. All the while, his thumb is circling and circling her clit and she is rising and rising until she can’t stand it a second longer.

“Stefan,” she manages to whine, practically begging, and he understands what she needs. He removes his thumb, sneaking two fingers across her folds instead, stroking her there slowly. Without warning, his lips close around her clit, fingers plunging inside her simultaneously. Caroline’s mouth falls open, and she is finally unable to restrain herself from tangling one hand in his hair, the other falling across her own mouth. Stefan sucks lightly on her clit at first, teasing her with his tongue as his fingers slide carefully in and out of her. Caroline’s breath comes out in a quick whine as she begins to pant, grasping at his hair and throwing her other hand to clutch the sheets. Stefan sucks harder, pumping his fingers faster and deeper until he finally feels them brush up against her g-spot. Caroline cries out, and he focuses on the spot, rubbing harder and faster and sucking unrelentingly on her clit until her walls clench around his fingers, and then without warning she is coming and shuddering around him with such intensity that he has to actively hold her in place with his arm. He rides out the orgasm with her, fingers still slowly pumping in and out until he finally feels her relax.

Caroline is still gasping when he removes his fingers carefully, leaving one last kiss on Caroline’s stomach. 

Finding purchase in her hips, he pulls himself slowly back up her body. He lays himself across her still-heaving chest so he can brush the hair out of her face. He places kisses across her flushed cheeks and forehead. She opens her eyes to find him looking down at her with his hand on her cheek, like he’s trying to capture the image of her post-orgasm so he’ll never forget it. She reaches up to brush her fingers across his lips and cheek, but it’s not enough, never enough, and she pulls him down so she can kiss him again.

He’s fully on top of her now, and she can feel his belt against her stomach. With a wave of indignation, she realizes that he’s still completely clothed from the waist down. She pushes against his shoulder until he rolls over, pulling her with him but allowing her to climb on top of him. She raises herself to a sitting position, straddling his bulging groin with a knee on either side, and gently pushes him back down when he tries to follow suit. He rises up on his elbows instead, handing control off to Caroline, but his gaze stays transfixed on her. 

She takes her time with his belt, unbuckling it carefully, punctuating each motion by grinding into him lightly. Teasing. Her breasts sway slightly as she moves, and she looks up to find Stefan licking his lips. She stays him with a pointed look, instead pulling his belt off, careful and deliberate, and tossing it aside. She rewards his patience by grinding into him harder, running each of her hands in a huge circle over his stomach and abs. Stefan’s eyes fall closed as he focuses on the feeling, and Caroline’s gaze lingers on his face.

She scoots farther down his legs as she reaches for the button on his jeans, opening it deliberately and lowering the zipper just as slowly.  When she starts to drag the fabric down his legs, Stefan is way ahead of her, wiggling beneath her and kicking them off his feet as quickly as he can, leaving a straining pair of briefs in front of her.

He tries to sit up and reach for her again, and again, she stops him. This time, he lets himself fall all the way back, running his hands over his face briefly as he attempts to hold himself together. Caroline runs her hands over his hips, pressing her palms into his hip bones before she leans down to him. She places one long, deliberate lick across the fabric that covers him, and Stefan practically growls in response. Pleased, she grips the hem of his underwear and drags them down as well, allowing his erection to spring free.

As he kicks his underwear the rest of the way off, Stefan rises onto his elbows once more, unable to resist meeting Caroline’s eyes as she wraps her hand around his cock for the first time. Her grip is loose and meant to tease, and she holds his gaze while she runs it lightly up and down his length the first few times. The lax grip is absolute torture and she can feel him growing harder in her hands, watching with satisfaction as his eyes fall shut, jaw clenching. She tightens her grip, increasing the pressure and adding a twist in her pattern as she continues to stroke him. His breathing grows increasingly ragged as she gradually increases her pace, slowing down for just a moment so she can press a firm but careful kiss to the head of his penis.

His hips jerk involuntarily, and in an instant, he’s sitting up, erection relinquished from her grip as he drags her lips to meet his, gathering her into a deep and unrelenting kiss. This time she allows it, scooting closer on his lap so she can wrap her arms around his torso, pressing her bare breasts against his chest and reveling in the feeling of his skin on hers.

He kisses her urgently, running his hands across her back and down to grasp her ass. He trails one back up her body to cradle her neck before reaching the other across to trace lines up and down the flesh of her inner thigh. In no time, she’s pulsing with want again and grinds against him, bringing her pelvis to press against his. She becomes acutely aware of his erection pressing against her stomach, and his hitch in breath tells her she’s not the only one who’s noticed.

When she pulls away to look at him, it takes him a split second longer to break his concentration, unfurrowing his brow and opening his eyes to meet hers. In his gaze is a question - one she thinks seems rather redundant at this point - but she nods insistently before he presses her into one more earnest kiss.

She rises up on her knees as she kisses him, still straddling his lap. He breaks the kiss with his erection in hand and looks up at her, hovering slightly above him. She grasps his shoulders for support as he grips her hip with his free hand, guiding her closer to him so that his cock can graze the heat of her center, sending waves of anticipation through her. Stefan tenses visibly as the head of his penis shifts into place, and he slowly starts to guide himself inside. Caroline is just as overcome, her nails digging into his shoulders as she feels him enter her, her walls stretching around him, and she struggles to keep her eyes locked on his even as her mouth drops partway open. Slowly, slowly, she lowers herself onto him as Stefan lets out a controlled, shuddering breath at the feeling of her muscles squeezed around his shaft. 

For a moment, they both adjust, and the moment feels historic. Over the years, the labels on their relationship had shifted a hundred times, from acquaintances, to friends, to ‘it’s complicated’ – and all the things in between. If they hadn’t before, though – and lord knows how to measure it at this point – it’s in this moment that they’ve officially crossed the line into lovers.

It’s Caroline who moves first. Still grasping his shoulders, she rolls her hips slowly forward, then slowly back, reveling in the feeling of him inside her. Stefan’s eyes practically roll back in his head, but he brings his lips to hers, his free hand tangling in her hair. Caroline’s hands slide to grasp the sides of his neck as he kisses her, and she clutches onto him for support as she begins to build a rhythm for them both. His other hand digs harder into her hip, guiding her movements. Detaching his lips from hers, Stefan refocuses attention to Caroline’s breasts, shoulders caving in around her as he leans down to plant a kiss right to her nipple. His hand trails down from its home in her hair to grasp the other breast, even as his lips part to capture the first between them. Her hands travel through his hair, rocking back and forth all the while, and he starts to suck on her nipple, sending a bloom of warmth through her body.

It’s not long before the friction is no longer enough for her. She pushes him onto his back so she can ride him harder, and he lets himself to fall to the mattress, letting out a grunt. Even as she picks up speed, her hands take the opportunity to explore his stomach and abs. Stefan brings a second hand to her hips as he guides her back and forth, using the leverage of the new position to thrust into her from below. From this position, each thrust makes direct contact with her g-spot, and Caroline rapidly begins to lose all coherence. The warmth is rising and rising inside of her and it doesn’t take long before she is completely overwhelmed by it, a pulsing heat racing through her. Sensing her urgency, Stefan rises up to wrap his arms around her, meeting her thrust for thrust. She grasps at every piece of him she can - his neck, his back, his hair – and then she’s falling off the edge chaotically, Stefan guiding her through it, holding her close and whispering reassurances in her ear. 

He places delicate kisses all over her face and neck as she finishes riding it out. The pink blush of her cheeks does not subside even as her panting does, and he leaves an extra kiss on either side in appreciation. After a moment of recovery, he rocks gently against her, and she realizes he still hasn’t come.

She leans back to make eye contact with him, wrapping her legs around his waist one at a time to guide him deeper inside her. He responds with a desperate grunt, pulling her back in for a fervent kiss. When she wraps her arms around his neck, he rolls them both over, pressing her down into the mattress with one hand planted beside her head for support.

He begins to pump into her, slow and steady. Caroline loosens her arms from his neck so she can caress the planes of his back, her eyes falling closed again as Stefan regains control. Using his free hand, he sweeps her hair from one shoulder, tangling his fingers in it as he leans down to leave kisses all over her neck. His thrusts begin to pick up speed, and in no time, she is at the precipice again. She drags her hands to his ass, urging him deeper with every thrust, and Stefan brings his lips to hers, but neither of them is quite capable of a decent kiss at this point. Their lips make desperate and disorderly contact as he continues to increase the pace, his breathing growing more and more ragged while hers comes out in quiet moans breathed into his mouth. She can tell that he is close to the brink when he reaches between them, feeling blindly for his goal. He buries his head in her neck when his thumb finally lands on her clit, and Caroline shudders, quickly reaching one more white hot peak as Stefan thrusts erratically – once, twice, three times – a groan falling directly from his lips to her ear as he finally unloads himself inside her.

Gasping and completely incoherent, they lay entangled in one another for what feels like ages, recovering. 

Finally, he rolls off of her. His absence brings her back to reality, and she turns to look at him. He has nestled himself into her side, watching her. One of his hands trails a line across her stomach. She rolls over, too, so they are face to face.

He brushes a strand of hair from her face and smiles at her. It’s the same old toothless Stefan smile, but she’s never quite seen it in this context, and the sight of it fills her with lightness. Her answering smile is all dimples, crinkling the corners of her eyes and widening his even further.

Cupping her cheek in one hand, he kisses her warmly. When he pulls back to rest his head on the pillow, he looks at her with such gladness and affection that it sends tingles down her spine. He opens his mouth to speak, and she thinks back to that moment on her cabin porch, their silence hanging in the air. One of us should probably say something.

“You are so, so sexy when you come,” he says. He almost manages to keep a straight face.

“Stefan!” she protests, smacking him on the shoulder while he tries to dodge it, his grin splitting into a resounding laugh. She rolls away from him, but she’s laughing in spite of herself. He reaches for her, catching her by the waist to pull her back to him before she gets too far.

This time, that’s where she stays.  



End file.
